


Internet History

by 20thcenturyvole



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Art, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-24
Updated: 2015-10-24
Packaged: 2018-04-27 23:30:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5069065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/20thcenturyvole/pseuds/20thcenturyvole
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is why Dipper is not allowed on cryptozoology forums any more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Internet History

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Measured](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Measured/gifts).



Eventually, their grunkles get suspicious. Yes, the twins are almost thirteen, and that means certain... changes. Dipper's terrible mood swings are new, the raccoon rings under his eyes a little alarming. The muttering under his breath at breakfast and the terrible triumph in his eyes at dinner are... weird. But strangest of all is Mabel's sudden surliness, as if she's sleep-deprived and mad at Dipper about it.

Ford speculates on a number of possibilities: something stealing their sleep, perhaps siphoning their dreams. A night terror? A very subtle vampire? He has encountered any number of demons, imps, and monsters that prey on people when they're asleep and vulnerable. He's sure Dipper can handle it, and is, himself, no stranger to losing sleep over something important, but he wonders if he should intervene before the twins' behavior gets out of hand.

Stan doesn't speculate: he asks Mabel. "Internet," she croaks, staring into the distance, her unkempt hair blowing in the wind as she clutches a mug of cocoa.

"Ah," says Stan, uncertainly. "Of course. The internets."

Mabel groans. "He's fallen off the wagon. There's wifi here, and no parents to monitor how much time he spends online. There are so many people to argue with. People in different time zones!" She clutches his arm, her bloodshot eyes beseeching. "The flame wars, Grunkle Stan! They never stop!"

Stan tries backing away, but Mabel's got a death grip, and her eyes are filling with tears. He's just sort of dragging her with him. "I'm sorry, kid, you lost me around the wifi." Her lip is starting to tremble, and he gets desperate. "Maybe Soos would know something? He'll be here in, like, an hour."

She gasps and lets go. "Soos! Of COURSE! Thank you, Grunkle Stan, you've saved the day!"

"I have?" But she's gone; a flash of hair and kitten sweater dashing inside. Stan shrugs and goes to open up the Mystery Shack.

Two hours later, he finds the twins in the back room with Soos. Dipper is clutching a laptop, looking crushed, and over his shoulder Mabel looks alive with hope. Ah, kids. Soos pats Dipper on the shoulder, and says, "Sorry, little dude. I guess this router's just going to the great recycling station in the sky. Or the bottomless pit, whatever." He yanks the little plastic box out of the wall and walks away, whistling, to Mabel's covert thumbs-up.

Dipper sighs. "Maybe it's for the best. I mean, I guess I was getting a little obsessed..."

"Pfft, a LITTLE," Mabel says, and grabs his hand. "Let's play outside!" Dipper laughs, and together, they barrel past Stan and out the door.

"I understand nothing," says Stan, and goes to count his money.

**Author's Note:**

> I loved the idea of Dipper's search history being all cryptozoology stuff, and especially the idea of him getting into arguments with fellow conspiracy theorists. Because, really, how many other towns like Gravity Falls are there? How many people that Dipper talks to online are real, honest, saw-Bigfoot-with-my-own-eyes truthers, and how many are just having fun and can't believe how seriously BigDipper13 is taking this stuff? How many forum posters attempt to 'prove' to Dipper that their knowledge about lake monsters, Yetis, goblins and gnomes is superior, only to spark a righteous paranoiac flame war? Just how many sites has Dipper been banned from? And just how many nights has he kept Mabel awake with an endless stream of angry typing and muttered invective before she gets up and does something about it?


End file.
